A rapidly growing support base of top chefs and regular home cooks in Australia and the USA believe this is the finest cast iron cookware available today, regardless of where it is made:

If you also agree it's newsworthy that we have a new cookware industry in Australia (AUSfonte is the only production cookware made in Australia), please share with a journalist, blogger, and every cook you know. This little Aussie company needs your support to spread the news!

PRESS RELEASE: 13/1/15, Brisbane, Australia, by Solidteknics Pty Ltd

witness the Birth of a new Australian-made cookware industry

SOLIDTEKNICS launches new AUSfonte(TM) cast iron pans to strong support in Australia and USA

In a reversal of ‘offshoring’, Brisbane company SOLIDTEKNICS Pty Ltd kickstarted a new Australian cookware industry in September 2014 with the successful launch of their AUSfonte(TM) cast iron Sauteuse pan. You may, or may not, be surprised to know that AUSfonte(TM) is the only production cookware made in Australia.

Apart from all the regular benefits of traditional cast iron pans (even heating, multi-generation durability, clean synthetic-free high-temperature cooking), AUSfonte(TM) Sauteuse pans have unique ‘Love Handles’ which are long and comfortable and reduce heat transfer up the handle (so effectively, according to the company, that the handles actually stay cool on the stove top, in a first for cast iron pans).

AUSfonte(TM) pan cooking surfaces are also machine-sanded smooth like the prized antique American pans, and with proper ‘seasoning’ they provide cooks with a smooth synthetic-free nonstick cooking surface which is also safe at high temperatures. The pans are made 100% in Australia from clean Australian iron, and each one is cast with the exact casting date to boost collectibility.

SOLIDTEKNICS found that making the expensive moulds in Australia was a major ‘barrier to entry’, so instead of running offshore they turned to crowdfunding to support their vision. This worked very successfully to fund the launch of their first Sauteuse pan in 2014, and now they’re appealing for support to launch two bigger pan models in a second crowdfunding campaign. On the Kickstarter.com platform they offer their new 32cm BIGskillet(TM) as a ‘reward’ for ‘backers’ in return for a ‘pledge of support’ of $149 (plus shipping). A bonus for Kickstarter backers is that every pan is cast with ‘FIRST EDITION’ and the exact casting date (not available to retail). If the BIGskillet pan continues to be strongly supported they hope to raise enough funds to launch a second big capacity casserole/dutch oven, the 7 litre, 32cm DEEPan(TM) . In a further bonus, both fit together as base and lid – ideal for slow cooking. (See www.kickstarter.com/projects/400294490/ausfonte-cast-iron-bigskillet-pan-32cm-13-deepan-s )

The Australian pan’s designer and SOLIDTEKNICS founder, Mark Henry (the same mechanical engineer who founded the Füri(R) knife company, which he sold in 2008), said: “We’re really grateful to see so much support on Kickstarter. I believe this is because we have some big performance benefits over traditional imported cast iron pans, not just because they’re made in Australia. And it is very heartening to see that top chefs agree. They’re starting to call them ‘world’s best’, without prompting…..or payment. Because our solid one-piece cast iron pans will last for hundreds, maybe thousands, of years we hope they will be handed down for many generations as prized and well-loved family heirlooms. That’s our driving vision.”

With all the gloomy news lately about Australian manufacturing it is great to see there’s still determination to make world-class products locally. And that has to be some good news worth sharing.

Further background:

Mark Henry, designer of the AUSfonte(TM) pans, has hopes for solid growth in the cast iron cookware business in Australia. Bare seasoned cast iron has been a big growth trend in the USA in the last 5 years as cooks there (re)discover the (ancient) health benefits and sustainability of cooking on a seasoned iron nonstick surface that has no synthetic nonstick chemicals, no heat limits, and doesn’t need disposal after a few years.

Mark said, “Australian kitchen retailers have been telling us they’ve recently noticed a surge in interest in bare cast iron here. We will certainly do our bit to help the cooks of Australia learn more about this healthy cooking alternative, with seasoning and care advice on our Solidteknics website (http://www.solidteknics.com/australian-fonte-pan-detail ), along with recipes we regularly post there and on our Facebook page.” (www.facebook.com/solidteknics )